asialife HCMC 1 - AsiaLIFE Magazine

THE TWO OF US
Loreto Vietnam Australia programme coordinator Trish Franklin shares a close bond
with her student Nguyen Thanh Vinh—a young man who lost his sight as a baby.
They tell Beth Young their story. Photo by Fred Wissink.
Trish
I came to Nguyen Dinh Chieu
School—it’s a school for blind
and disabled children in
District 10—to teach English
12 years ago. When I first
came to Vietnam, Loreto built
a very small school with only
two classrooms in Hoc Mon
District. While we were waiting
for funds to build another I
decided to contribute part of
my time. I came down here and
asked the then principal if she
would like me to teach English.
She said yes straightaway
When I first taught the blind
children I was a little nervous
because I didn’t know how
to teach colour, for example.
I learned quickly that they
already know these terms in
Vietnamese, so you teach them
as words more than something
you see. To help them imagine,
I say red colour is hot and blue
colour is cool and green colour
is very fresh.
I started teaching Vinh when
he was seven. The first time
I met him I thought he was
such a cute little boy; he was so
sweet and had this confidence
about him, this spirit. It looked
to me like he was sure he
would be successful in life.
He has continued to work
really hard and now his English
is amazing.
My fondest memories of Vinh
are from when he was very,
very small. He was so cute,
with such courage and strength.
I took many photos of him
because I thought he was the
most beautiful little boy. And he
ran everywhere, even though
he couldn’t see: around the
playground, to the toilet, over
to have a drink. Sometimes
he’d crash into something, but
it never frightened him. He
was always having fun—such a
mischievous little boy.
He was great with his
friends, too, pulling them out
into the yard, almost as if to say,
“Get on with life. We’re blind,
but we don’t care I really
do remember him as that little
boy and I can’t believe that he’s
now 16. When I look at him
I feel so proud. He’s worked
so hard and he’s a very good
young man.
Vinh
When I was 19 months old I was
standing drinking milk from
a glass when I fell. The glass
broke and hurt my eyes. My father
took me to the hospital and
the doctors took the glass out
but after that, I was blind. Now I
can’t see anything but a dark red
colour and very big things, but I
can feel. I wish I could see, but I
was a child when I was blinded
and I’m used to it now.
I came to live at Nguyen Dinh
Chieu School when I was in Year
1. There are 250 children at the
school and 85 boys and girls are
lodgers. My family live in Long
An Province, which is about 60
kilometres away. I see them once
every two months. I used to
miss them lots—I cried so much
the first time I had to sleep at
school—but now I’m used to it.
I’ve lived here for a long time
so I think they’re used to it, too.
Now my school is my home and
my friends are my brothers and
sisters, like my family.
When I first met Miss Trish
I thought she was very happy
and loved children very much.
I felt so comfortable with her.
I felt surprised that she could
speak Vietnamese. I thought her
pronunciation wasn’t so good.
Now it’s better, but it’s not
perfect yet [laughs].
She taught me to speak
and sing in English. My best
memory is in Year 3 or 4 when
Miss Trish took my hand and
told me that I was very beautiful
in English. I felt so happy and
hoped that my English would
improve so I could talk with
native speakers.
I also remember Miss Trish
bringing me back many gifts
after visiting Australia. She
bought me candy and toy kangaroos.
Many of the Australian
teachers who work here have
bought me kangaroos, so now I
have six!
Now I’m in Year 11. Next year
I will have to stop sleeping at
school and find my own place
to live. I’m a little scared but
I think I must practice living
by myself. I want to continue
studying at university and I
want to become an English
teacher. Miss Trish made me
love English.
104 asialife HCMC